Bandits attack a tour van in Isiolo

November 4, 2011 4:16 pm

By BERNARD MOMANYI, The Shaba National Reserve is to the East of NairobiNAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 4 – Bandits in Isiolo attacked a tour van on Friday afternoon, killing the driver and wounding a European couple believed to be of either British or Swiss origin.

Police said the attack occurred at Nletungai area as the tour van headed to the Shaba National Reserve.
“After the attack, the driver died on the spot but the couple which we believe is from Britain sustained injuries,” a police officer in the region said.

ADVERTISEMENT

Nletungai is a few kilometers from the Kenya Wildlife Service headquarters in the region.

“The information we have is that the attackers came from the forest and opened fire at the vehicle, it sped off and another group a few meters away also from the forest shot at it fatally wounding the driver,” the officer said. “The couple was wounded.” The incident occurred at 1 pm.

Police were pursuing the bandits believed to be from a neighbouring community.

“The incident has not been linked to Al Shabaab. Not at all, from what is emerging it appears it is just bandits in this region but they are being hunted down,” he added. He would not reveal where the couple was being treated but hinted they would be brought to Nairobi.

The area where the attack occurred is heavily guarded by armed police officers and police headquarters were questioning how the attack occurred.

“It is baffling considering it occurred at a region that enjoys sufficient security,” a senior police officer at Vigilance House said.

BERNARD MOMANYI Bernard is the News Editor at Capital FM. He commands over a decade of experience in news gathering having worked in both print and electronic media. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Sciences (Moi University) and Master of Arts in Communication Studies-Development Communication (University of Nairobi).